Doctor Who (TV Series) Dalek (2005) User Reviews

Solid return of everybody's favourite irate pepper-pot

[DVD_Connoisseur · 8/10 · 31 December 2006]

In 2005 "Dalek" managed to make the Daleks frightening again. Not that the Daleks had ceased to be an inspired and fearsome creation for a legion of devoted fans. Through fiction, graphic novels and audio adventures, the Daleks had continued their war against anything un-Dalek. Only on television had their impact been reduced by the dreaded "Gay Daleks" of Victor Lewis-Smith's "TV Offal" and even an appearance in a Kit-Kat advert.

With "Dalek", the diminutive metal terrors were back with a vengeance. Or rather, to be strictly correct, one Dalek was. This "last Dalek" showed the fans what they'd known all along - that one, solitary, lonely Dalek is more dangerous than an army of armed humans.

Robert Shearman's script is tight and director Joe Ahearne leaves no time for boredom to set in. This is a return to classic "Who". No frills, no laughs, just solid, gripping story-telling.

Christopher Eccleston's Doctor is clearly more than a little upset to see the Dalek. In fact, the 9th Doctor's reaction creates a dilemma for his companion, Rose. This is a Doctor pushed to the very edge of his patience and sanity, and it's not a pretty sight.

This episode managed the seemingly impossible and made the audience actually care about the Dalek. Its appearance in the final scene, revealed without its protective polycarbide-armoured shell, is unforgettable.

Early in the episode, there's an Aladdin's cave of artifacts for the keen viewer to search for old, familiar props. No prizes, though, for those who recognised the classic "Invasion"-style Cyberman head! Excellent television and a genuine wish come true for many fans.

Return of a legend

[MaxBorg89 · 10/10 · 5 February 2009]

The truth lies in the middle, people often say. In this case, the truth is that surrounding the appeal of Doctor Who, and it is revealed almost halfway through the first season of the revived show: no other genre series (currently airing, that is) juggles action, drama, comedy and pure suspense like this.

Thes story takes us to a new, interesting location: a museum in Utah where an eccentric billionaire, Henry Van Statten (Corey Johnson), collects various artifacts proving the existence of extraterrestrials (Fox Mulder would love a tour of the place). This peculiar characteristic draws the Doctor's attention, only for him to be captured by Van Statten, who's thrilled to have a second live specimen to brag about. The other one, we soon learn, is a pretty rusty reminder of the Doctor's troubled past: the last of the Daleks. Before anyone can scream "Run for your lives", the Time Lord's most lethal foe is already repeating a certain dreaded phrase: "Exterminate!".

Moving away from the more apocalyptic story lines conjured by Russell T. Davies, writer Robert Shearman proposes something more contained and claustrophobic, although this doesn't mean he gives up the occasional playfulness these scripts allow. In fact, the teaser contains a very amusing moment, when the Doctor notices a familiar face (actually, it's a head) in the museum - fans will recognize it on the spot - and tells Rose it's "an old friend. Well, enemy.". Taking on the rather challenging task of reintroducing the protagonist's oldest, most enduring and popular adversary, Shearman accomplishes the mission by inserting another reference to the past (the Time War and Davros are mentioned more or less directly) while continuing in the darker direction required by the 21st century update.

The performances are as sharp as expected, with Nicholas Brigg's vocal rendition of the Dalek's dangerous presence standing out. Also worth checking out are the darker undertones on Eccleston's behalf, as his take on the Doctor becomes more serious in this episode than it's ever been, mainly because Shearman makes the bold decision of following Michael Mann's example and establishing a similarity between the hero and his nemesis. "Look at you.", Eccleston tells the decrepit machine, "You're alone." "So are you." the Dalek retorts.

More than any other episode of the new series, Dalek is the definitive proof of the fact that Doctor Who, like the revamped Batman, isn't really "for kids" anymore. Sure, it's harmless compared to more adult productions coming from the States, but it's undeniable - a lot has changed since William Hartnell first entered the TARDIS in 1963.

Tortured Souls in Cages...

[Xstal · 9/10 · 22 November 2021]

Attracted to a subterranean bunker in the Utah desert the TARDIS carries the Doctor and Rose to confront the last of the Time Lord's greatest of foes. A Dalek in a chain, tortured, suffering and in pain, power and desire lost in The Time War and rapidly on the wane. However, a petal rests on the case, the slightest sense of empathetic embrace, setting a genetic recharge off at pace, resulting in a battle and a race - and some guy called Adam at the end, for reasons unclear I won't pretend, hitches a lift into... space.

"Why don't you just die?"

[ShadeGrenade · 10/10 · 14 June 2010]

Following the dismal 'Slitheen' two-parter, the 2005 season of 'Dr.Who' was in need of a big pick-me-up. Fortunately, it got it thanks to writer Robert Shearman and director Joe Ahearne. Yet 'Dalek' very nearly did not happen due to a disagreement between the production team and the Terry Nation Estate. Many newspapers speculated the new show would flop without its most famous monsters on board. Fortunately, the crisis was resolved in time.

'Dalek' is set a few years in the future, in Utah in the U.S.A. The Tardis lands in a museum owned by millionaire Henry van Statten ( Corey Johnson ), who collects alien technology. He even has the head of a Cyberman in a glass case ( left over from 'The Invasion' in 1968 ). The pride of his collection is an alien he calls a 'metaltron'. The Doctor, however, recognises it as a Dalek. He warns van Statten, but he won't listen. In desperation, he tries to kill it himself. Then Rose accidentally leaves a hand-print on the damaged casing, and it uses her D.N.A. to reactivate itself. Free at last, it goes on the rampage, exterminating all who get in its way...

Based on a Big Finish audio adventure called 'Jubilee', this episode reestablishes the Daleks as the Doctor's greatest foes. Though only one is seen here, it is unstoppable, effortlessly wiping out security guards by the score. It even has a few new tricks up its sleeve, such as 'suckering' some poor bloke to death, and being able to swivel its middle section around in order to shoot all those who try to creep up from behind. Oh yes, it can also go up stairs! Now a Dalek going up stairs is hardly new ( it first happened in 1988's 'Remembrance Of The Daleks ), but as so few people saw it then it might as well have not happened.

The Dalek and the Doctor have in common the fact they are sole survivors, their respective races wiped out by the Time War. Great dialogue exchanges here, with the Dalek telling the Time Lord at one point that he would have made an excellent addition to his own race. Christopher Eccleston is like a ball of fire, you half-expect him to head-butt the Dalek.

van Statten's failure to recognise the Dalek does seem strange given their various invasions down the years, but as the Doctor said in 'The Unquiet Dead', history is always being rewritten.

Despite the outcome ( the Dalek committing suicide ), no-one was in any real doubt they would return. And we would not have to wait very long for it either...

Doctoooooor, thheeeeee Doctoooooooor

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 11 August 2015]

This was where Series 1 went up a level, 'Dalek' remains a truly classic episode, a real game changer. We learn of the Time War from the dalek, that all Daleks and Timelords are dead, with the exception of this Dalek and The Doctor, The Dalek draws parallels between the two which make the Doctor uncomfortable. The story in brief, Super rich American Henry Van Statten owns an Alien Museum, the Dalek is chained up as prized possession. Rose is uncomfortable seeing the Dalek tortured so steps in and unwittingly restores it from a decayed state into the zipped up, no nonsense metal meanie that we now recognise. Rose becomes locked in a vault with it, but will it kill her? One thing I particularly loved about this episode is that the Dalek which had seemingly softened during the 80's, was now a highly intelligent killing machine with true menace. The 'matrix' moment, is well done and shows the Daleks are finally tough to deal with. Rewatching it I agree with my initial decision about the best scene, where the guards lay in wait for the Dalek, and the Dalek sets off the water sprinkler fires onto the floor and electrocutes them all with one shot, genius. Roses closing scenes with the Dalek are brilliantly done. I can see why people would class this as the overall best episode of Series 1, but in my humble opinion even better was to come. Little note of trivia, the picture that appears above Van Statten's desk was used years ago in a Poirot, 'The Underdog.' The painting is really of Dennis Lill not Corey Johnson, but there is a resemblance.

The Best Episode Of Series One

[timdalton007 · 10/10 · 3 November 2009]

Coming at the approximate mid point of the first series of the revived Doctor Who, Dalek came at a perfect moment to bring about the return of another of the icons of the series: the Dalek. Yet the episode is much more then the return of an icon. It is a story that takes the hero (the Doctor) and the villain (the Dalek), our notions of them and to what lengths they will go to survive. The result is the best episode of the series.

Dalek is notable for featuring Christopher Eccleston single best performance as the ninth Doctor. In the space of forty-five minutes Eccleston gives a performance that is nothing short of remarkable. While the lighter side of the ninth Doctor is evident during the opening minutes there is also a darkness that, while mostly submerged previously, comes to the surface. It all starts in one of the best scenes to ever be put in the show when the two enemies are locked in a room together. In the space of just a few minutes Eccleston covers a whole range of emotions from caring to frightened (in a moment which utterly convinces you the Dalek is a real threat) to the moment where the Doctor takes the catchphrase of his enemy and uses it chillingly. Add to that moments where the Doctor tells the Dalek to die or the last couple of scenes of the episode which show us a Doctor who is battle scared to the point it comes as a surprise when we see just who it is pointing a weapon at the end. While Eccleston gave fine performances the whole way through this episode would mark his single best performance in the role.

Then there's the title villain: the Dalek. Bringing back the iconic villain could have been easily misdone but here we get the full force and power of the Dalek. Not only is the Dalek itself magnificently redesigned on the outside but writer Robert Shearman shows us what the Dalek is at heart as well. This is not a tin robot armed with a whisk and a plunger by any means. This is a killing machine that is just as capable of being conniving if not manipulative as well as demonstrated throughout much of the episode's first scenes with the Doctor and his companion Rose Tyler. Not only that but for the first time ever really we get to see the Dalek as a killing machine capable of putting that plunger and whisk to remarkable (and chilling) effect. Then Sheraman as writer and Nicholas Briggs as the voice do something even more remarkable then that: they give it sympathy. Slowly we watch as this killing machine begins to change and by the end becomes something greater then that before meeting a fate that is truly tragic. To do all that in less then an hour is an achieve met in itself.

That's not forgetting the other human members of the cast of course. There's Billie Piper who gives a fine performance as Rose which helps to bring both great amounts of fear and then sympathy to the Dalek in both their first and last scenes together. She also shares some nice chemistry which Bruno Langely as Adam, who gives a nice performance here which makes the final scene in the story believable and a shame about what happens in the next episode. Corey Johnson makes a nice, if at times over the top, appearance as the billionaire Henry van Statten who, while not quite believable, works rather well. There's also nice performances from Anna-Louise Plowman and Nigel Whitmey as two of van Statten's employes at the base where the episode is set. All together they make for a nice supporting cast in a fantastic episode.

There is also some fine work behind the camera as well. The CGI effects shots of the Dalek are fantastic pieces of work which help to make certain bits of its return all the more better (watch the episode for which bits!). The cinematography of Ernie Vincze gives the entire episode a claustrophobic feel that, even in the larger areas, give the tension a considerable boost. To help with the tension is the the editing of Graham Walker coupled with the relentless and in the later sections of the episode haunting music of Murray Gold. All of these when coupled with the first rate script of Robert Shearman show off some of the finest work yet seen in the new series.

So why do I call this episode the best of series one? Well it has the best performance of Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor, the return of the Dalek at its best, some nice performances and some fantastic work behind the scenes as well especially in the script by Robert Shearman. There is more then that though. This episode is about survivors and what lengths they will go to keep on doing just that. It is also about our very own notions of good (the Doctor) and evil (the Dalek) and what it takes to turn them on their head. If nothing else that is what this episode is all about.

S1, E6 - Dalek: 'Why Don't You Just Die!'

[liamdonovan2010 · 3 October 2011]

After the average two-parter last time out the show needed to bounce back. And boy it did. The Doctor receives a distress call and finds himself underground in what looks like a museum of alien artifact's. He soon discovers Henry Van Statten who shows him the prize of his collection. The Doctor finds out it is a Dalek who has fallen through time after the Time War. Rose also meets it and the Dalek gains sympathy from her and when she touches it the Dalek springs into life wreaking havoc through the base and The Doctor can do nothing. The Dalek gets locked in with Rose but when the bulk heads are opened the Dalek heads to the exit. With The Dalek realising it has no purpose and that it is mutating it kills itself.

It was a great way to bounce back after the first real disappointment of the series. We got a timeless old enemy reincarnated in what was its best form. No other enemy ever in Doctor Who can strike as much fear into hearts on its own. This ONE Dalek was alone a bigger threat the Doctor than the Slitheen. There were some truly brilliant moments as the episode moved along at a frenetic pace. The Dalek moving up the stairs was genius. Not because it was new but the assumption and then reaction by Rose and Adam was brilliant. There are two scenes in this episode which I will couple together as the Doctor and the Dalek. This consisted of the first meeting and a truly brilliant moment where the Doctor tells the Dalek to die. All the while the Dalek was wreaking havoc. the sprinkler scene was brilliant.

There were some things holding it back. The final ten minutes weren't quite up to scratch with the rest of the episode. The resolution didn't fit in with the rustic and simple nature of the episode which is what made most of it quite brilliant. Though everyone is excellent in this. Ecclestone gives one of his best performances along with Rose, Doctor Dances and Parting of the Ways. Rose was decent and Can Statten was great. I didn't like Adam which was a shame but overall a brilliant piece of TV and a stand out episode.

OVERALL - 8.0: Almost a 9 but the final ten minutes (resolution) and the presence of an unimpressive character Adam brought it down. None the less a brilliant episode.

Gimme Shelter

[southdavid · 8/10 · 17 March 2020]

When I knew we were going back to the beginning of "nuWho" to review the episodes, this episode was one of the ones I was really looking forward to seeing again, as I remembered it fondly. It wasn't quite as good as the regard my memory had for it, but it's still probably the best episode of the run so far.

Tracking a distress signal to an underground bunker in the far future of 2012 (!) The Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and Rose (Billie Piper) discover a personal collection of alien artefacts belonging to American Billionaire Henry Van Statten (Corey Johnson). Most is junk but to the Doctors horror the distress signal is coming from a damaged, but alive, Dalek that he has chained up. The Doctor is torn between his desire to end his greatest foes forever, Rose's naïve assistance and Van Statten's desire to own a unique object.

So the issue here is one of expectation vs Reality, in my mind, Eccleston berates the Dalek for its own existence and it's a classic lengthy monologue. In reality, it's a nice bit of business, but nothing like as Iconic. "You would make a good Dalek" is a nice comeback though and it does oddly tie into the idea that the war doctor is the one before this one and he's still dealing with some of that trauma.

Overall the show is good though. It's a first look at the iconic villain and the episode circumvents those old jokes immediately about getting away from Dalek's by heading up some stairs by introducing the flying mechanic. I love the skeleton effect on the deaths via the laser gun and the specific sound effect for it too. Awesome stuff. Bruno Langley makes his debut as Adam. I remember that he has a little run with team tardis - but at the moment I can't remember if he comes to a sticky end or not. I guess I'll wait and see. He isn't that strong a character here, so I can't imagine we spend that long with him.

It's still the strongest episode so far, just not quite the masterpiece I remembered.

Dalek perfection

[robertmooring-13902 · 10/10 · 5 April 2018]

The first Fantastic episode. This episode takes an old, and frankly ridiculous Doctor Who foe and makes it a killing machine. This made the Daleks scary again in a Fantastic episode.

Another powerrful episode

[studioAT · 8/10 · 29 April 2020]

The first episode of Dr Who I ever saw and what an episode it is.

An excellent introduction to the Dalek's in the modern 'Who', this episode features another stellar performance from Christopher Eccleston, who deserves far more praise than he gets for his sadly short stint as The Doctor.

Full of excellent moments (Daleks climbing stairs being a one in particular) and emotion, this has to be up there with the best of S1.

Great stuff.

It Tries To Be Different

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 5 May 2007]

I will congratulate Robert Shearman for trying to do something a little bit different for a Dalek story: The Doctor and Rose land in a space museum in Utah owned by megalomaniac collector Henry Van Statten who is keeping an unknown alien creature that he wants the Doctor to identify

The problem is however that I've always liked the Daleks to be portrayed as " Space Nazis " who go around exterminating everything in sight and I include David Whitaker's Dalek contributions in the mid 1960s along these lines . Too bad Shearman has come up with the ridiculous idea halfway through the story that the audience should feel sorry for the poor Dalek who has just exterminated dozens of people . It should also be pointed out that the ending where the Dalek commits suicide has to be one of the laziest endings you will ever find in a DOCTOR WHO story

But it's not all bad . The story is beautifully paced and contains excellent dialogue and Shearman has written very well for the ninth Doctor / Rose relationship . There's also a couple of nods to the old series with Van Statten being an American version of Harrison Chase and we see a cameo from a Cyberman's head ! Joe Ahearne shows that he's bound to get a call from Hollywood who want him to direct a big budget blockbuster on the strength of this story alone and it's uniformly well acted by both guests and regular cast . Just a pity the ideas behind the episode didn't gel very well

The Last of the Daleks

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 24 January 2018]

This episode sees Rose and The Doctor arriving in an underground museum in Utah where billionaire Henry van Statten has assembled a private collection of alien artefacts. The Doctor tells Rose that they have been drawn their by a cry for help. It becomes apparent that van Stratten has been using alien technology to create his vast wealth and believes his latest acquisition is his most important yet; a living alien in a distinctive casing. The Doctor is horrified when he sees the alien... it is a Dalek! It is in a poor condition but it is soon fully operational after it is touched by Rose. The Doctor is determined that it must be destroyed at all costs; even if that means sacrificing Rose.

After the previous, slightly disappointing story, this is a return to form. The Daleks are probably The Doctor's best known enemy and their return is handled well by concentrating on a single Dalek. Interestingly while the Dalek provides the threat it isn't the most unpleasant character; van Stratten is worse as he is self-centred and doesn't care about the lives of those under him... he does get a suitable ending though and it isn't what one might expect. Corey Johnson does a fine job in the role. During the old series it was a running joke amongst viewers that Daleks weren't much of a threat as they can't cope with stairs... here we see that the can. The special effects are pretty good although a couple of times they look a little dated, not too badly though. Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper are on good form as The Doctor at Rose; especially in the scene where Rose tries to protect the Dalek from a vengeful Doctor. Overall this was a classic episode that fans of Doctor Who are sure to enjoy.

Wow! How about that Final Dalek!

[richard.fuller1 · 14 April 2006]

He was a winner, wasn't he? Forty year old TV character rarely sees that much depth and richness brought to it.

Anyone else, American or British or Other, think of the classic Star Trek episode with Frank Gorshin and Lou Antonio as the last two survivors of their black-white races? Now, the contradictions.

The Doctor (Richard Hurndall) and Susan would shove the Dalek in "The Five Doctors" and when Barbara used mud off of Susan's shoes in an early episode to blind the Dalek, that Doctor (William Hartnell) and Ian Chesterton would also touch the Dalek, whereas here in "Dalek" no one could do this without dire consequences (guy burst into flames) or the Dalek would absorb their DNA (as he did Rose).

I'm sure there are other moments in the past where it would have suited a Dalek or two to have levitated as well, tho, as was done here and was also done in Sylvester McCoy's Doctor episode "Resurrection of the Daleks".

Series 1 Episode 6

[kevinwilliam-08044 · 9/10 · 25 June 2021]

The Doctor meets his greatest foe, well just one of them but one is enough. First stellar episode of new who and an amazing spittting with anger performance from Eccleston.

Dalek...

[wetmars · 10/10 · 31 July 2020]

Such a great episode, Christopher Eccleston's performance was so fantastic. Shows us how deadly one Dalek is.

The Best Dalek Episode of the Reboot.

[Cryptic_constable · 10/10 · 26 April 2021]

Of all the dalek serials since the Doctor Who reboot in 2005, this is, in my opinion the best. I was lucky enough to be a child when this came out and its one of the few to stick with you (in a good way - not like "Boom Town"). The threat is there from the beginning and it's difficult to decide whether to be more afraid of the dalek or the fear/rage of Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor!

The design of the animatronic dalek is brilliant and its infinitely superior to the CGI version in "Into the Dalek". It seems a shame that the rough CGI returned in comparison to the hard work and effort of the Series 1 dalek. Best episode of series 1 too.

Chilling; and practically perfect.

[bendtnerfc · 10/10 · 4 December 2021]

Eerie from start to finish. Manages to re-establish the terror of the Daleks - yet manages to create sympathy for a vicious creature, allowing the audience to feel and resonate with the contrasting emotions of our characters (especially our war-scarred Doctor). Interesting side-characters and secondary antagonists somehow don't overshadow the focuses of the episode, but are not neglected and feel flushed out within the episode itself. You can see why this episode had ripples which affected the lore of the the Doctor Who universe for years to come.

A solid (re)introduction of the Dalek

[dkiliane · 8/10 · 9 January 2019]

When I first saw this episode I enjoyed it but didn't appreciate the gravity of the treatment of the Dalek's return until I rewatched it after knowing more of the Dalek lore and their integral place in the Doctor Who roster of villains. Of course, even without this knowledge, the Dalek was still the best villain thus far in the show (and by that I mean at this point in season one).

The Dalek is genuinely scary and seemingly unstoppable. The Doctor's reaction to the Dalek is priceless and elevated the fear surrounding this villain. Of course, some would argue the real villain of the episode is Van Statten and they may not be wrong. I enjoyed this character if not always his lines and delivery. This, I think, the rather weak acting on the part of the American actors (or British actors playing Americans-I dunno but would explain a bit) held this episode back a bit. That and the constant stupid decisions made by all the minor characters.

But even so, the threat of the Dalek remained genuine and constant, and had some literally spine-chilling moments (when the Doctor first sees the Dalek and when it regenerates from Rose's DNA are some examples) and remains one of my favorite episodes from season 1. 8.5/10

EXTERMINATE!

[ianweech · 8/10 · 18 January 2021]

What??? That was amazing!!! Daleks!!!! What just happened??? This was the best episode so far. Wowza, I'm impressed. I'm looking forward to the next episode.

Dalek is one of the best episodes

[sstrom61-376-425927 · 10/10 · 12 August 2020]

From the far superior Russell T Davies era, Dalek is one of the darkest and best episodes of the show.

Dalek for the new generation

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 10/10 · 6 December 2018]

Dalek is a hugely popular episode and surely one of the best of Chris Eccleston's brief on screen tenure as The Doctor. It reintroduces Daleks but in an interesting way having a single Dalek being held prisoner and experimented on in a museum of extra-terrestrial artefacts deep below the Utah desert in near future Earth. The owner of the museum is Henry Van Statten a mega rich oligarch who is as obnoxious as he is wealthy.

The Doctor believes all the Daleks were wiped out along with the Time Lords after his actions in the Time War and he is deeply shocked to find himself in a closed cell with a Dalek. The Doctor gives a rare demonstration of complete fear and panic before realising the Dalek is unarmed. He then shows a dark side as he takes delight in the Dalek's predicament. These elements including the revelations about the Doctor's actions in the Time War and his emotions surrounding it are the best element of this story. It is also magnificent when the Dalek inevitably shows its real potential for danger in scenes which add new menace to the Daleks' abilities and strength.

The only part of the episode I am less impressed by is the first meeting scenes with Van Statten which I found a little bit cheesy and he is a bit of a pantomime villain in the way he is presented I suppose. But that is not remotely a big enough issue to detract from such a great episode.

Personally, I was initially in two minds about the twist of having the Dalek as a tortured soul that we feel sorry for as he effectively commits suicide. It was a brilliant idea and beautifully written and it is done superbly well but on my first viewing I was not sure if it was a wise choice. It wasn't an idea I would have chosen for the first Dalek appearance in the new series as I thought it might undermine Daleks as "not as evil or scary" for the new generation of fans seeing them for the first time. The fame and high esteem in which this episode is held show it was not a mistake at all, it worked. RTD was right in selecting this storyline and I was wrong. It actually just makes the story deeper and more thoughtful and the Dalek is still scary.

Writer Robert Shearman did a fantastic job (and many fans will know his earlier Big Finish story Jubilee is what he adapted, at the request of RTD, to create this story).

Great episode and the first NuWho story to get full marks from me.

My rating: 10/10.

Christoper Eccleston marvels.

[Otter_ · 10/10 · 13 November 2018]

This episode is amazing and stands the test of time. The Dalek doesn't disappoint, and the whole "you would make a good Dalek" bit is just... amazing. Genuinely. The acting is fantastic all round, and it made me yearn for a return to it in the more recent episodes where companions Yaz and Ryan are often let downs.

A flight of stairs are no match for the Dalek's!

[MrFilmAndTelevisionShow · 9/10 · 17 March 2021]

Definitely the best scene in all of Doctor Who, A Dalek finally conquoring it's mortal enemy, no not the Dr, the stairs! But in all seriousness this was a great episode and I would recommend it to anyone.

Might just be the best episode on the new series.

[warlordartos · 9/10 · 5 April 2020]

Finally something that measures up to the first episode of the series if not exceeding it. here in this episode we see the doctor's dark side come out more than we have before and we the viewer soon understand why.

We get some jokes that are so corny they are funny and also some very serious monologue between the Doctor and the Dalek, with enough time to compare the two and be scared about the similarities.

A Magnificent episode....but..... I'm not sure what it is, it's just not quite 10/10 worthy

A Tense Masterpiece that Reinvents an Icon

[hwiltshire-06889 · 9/10 · 3 April 2024]

The mere mention of the word Dalek sends shivers down the spine of seasoned Whovians, but in 2005's Dalek, the show boldly reintroduces the Doctor's most iconic enemy. This tense, claustrophobic episode delivers not only thrills, but also a thought-provoking exploration of the Doctor's trauma and the nature of his greatest foes.

Christopher Eccleston offers one of his finest performances as the Ninth Doctor. Haunted by memories of the Time War, his encounter with the lone Dalek pushes him to the brink. His rage, vulnerability, and ultimate hesitation are raw and compelling. Against him, the Dalek is horrifying; its damaged state doesn't diminish its threat but fuels its desperation, making it far more dangerous.

Writer Rob Shearman builds an atmosphere of creeping dread. The underground bunker feels both vast and isolating, the perfect stage for this deadly cat-and-mouse game. Rose isn't sidelined, either. Her compassion stands in stark contrast to the Dalek's hatred, giving the story a much-needed moral center.

The episode isn't without its flaws - some secondary characters verge on caricature, and the resolution relies a bit on coincidence. However, these are minor nitpicks. Dalek succeeds because it taps into the core fear these pepperpot villains evoke, then gives us a fascinating new angle on both the Dalek and the Doctor himself. It's both a chilling thriller and a powerful character study.